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Tuesday, May 09, 2006

mocKingbiRd.
6 days ago I made a mad dash to buy at the book store because I needed a new one and didn't want to go one night without participating in my new found love, Reading.
I picked up three books, one being To Kill a Mockingbird. I had no idea what is was about, but knew I wanted to say that I had read it. I chose to start with this book.

Tonight at 10:47 pm i finished it.
  • it is the first book i have ever read that i didn't want it to end and actually turned the last page in hopes that more words would appear. (i felt like a kid sticking my hand in a empty box of Lucky Charms hoping there would be more but the light weight of the box tells you otherwise)
  • it is the first book that i did not cheat and read the ending first. that tells ya'll how much patience i DON'T have. I wonder if this means this will be the first Christmas I don't peek and the presents under the tree
  • it is the first book that makes me now want to join a book group. I feel like calling Jill, Michelle, Amy, Lara, Tasha or someone to have a discussion about it, too bad it is so late.
I know this will be long, but i have to write the three things that i learned from this book.
Courage, Self Confidence and How to be a lady.
Courage
"... I wanted you to see something about her - I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It's when you know you're licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what. You rarely win, but sometimes you do."
Atticus Finch page 128

Self Confidence
"... Well, most folks seem to think they're right and you're wrong."
"They're certainly entitled to think that, and they're entitled to full respect for their opinions. But before I can live with other folks I've got to live with myself. The one thing that doesn't abide by majority rule is a person's conscience."
Atticus Finch page 120

How to be a lady
"It's not necessary to tell all you know. It's not ladylike--in the second place, folks don't like to have somebody around knowin' more than they do. It aggravates 'em. You're not gonna change any of them by talkin' right, they've got to want to learn themselves, and when they don't want to learn there's nothing you can do but keep your mouth shut or talk their language."
Calpurnia page 143

So, my new book tradition. To write in the front of the book the date I finished it. And a few words of my thoughts. I look forward to filling up the front of my books with friends thoughts who borrow my books, my girls and more of mine when I read them again and again.

To my blogging friends, thank you for sharing your love of books. It has changed my life.
It makes me want to share more of my passions with you.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Kristi, first of all I was giddy when I saw you posted my poem, thanks I felt so proud. Except for the typos..but I am not one to bother with spell check or re-read.

Secondly, I just wanted to share this idea with you. Since I don't have time to read much these days I have been getting books on tape from the library to listen to while I clean the house (you could sew or make crafts). It totally motivates me to clean and I have read so many more books than I would have. I have found that I have to stick to Newbury Award winners, or books for young adults beacuse I can follow the story if the phone rings or whatever. Other books require too much concentration, but the plus side is that I have all these books to recommend to Miriam when she gets to be about Jr High age. We can have our own mother daughter book club.

I am sure Grandma Rasmussen is smiling down from heaven to see that you have become a reader.

everything pink! said...

Elisa.
you made me cry. i am sure grandma is. thanks for reminding me.
my mom shares her moms passion, how sad if i would have stopped the link!

TX Girl said...

Kristi-
I can't believe you already finished your book. I am sooo glad you liked it. However, do not apologize for reading the end first. I do that all the time. Adam thinks it is ridiculous, but I cannot take the suspense. When I was in HS we had to read it and I refused on the premise that the title was stupid- who would want to kill a mockingbird anyway? So I stood firm until I actually picked up the book and started leafing through it. I got interested and finished it in like 2 days or something. We were reading it in class so I would always sit back and listen and be excited for everyone to see what happens next. Over the years I try and read re-read it every couple of years. I will have to put this on my short listing of waiting in the wings books for the summer.

I love the quotes you picked. The book is so full of amazing life changing ideas, and concepts. I also love that you are recording when you read it. I think that is a great idea and it will be cool in 50 years to see how many times it gets read.

You should also look into watching the movie. Gregory Peck is amazing as Atticus Finch.

I totally secound the audio bookclub. I downloaded Harry Potter on my ipod and took it to work- I got soo much done and was able to listen to a book at the same time.

michelle said...

I'm so excited for you! This is definitely one of my all-time favorite books. Isn't that a great feeling when you don't want the book to end? So bittersweet. I love everything that Atticus says -- I feel like he's a model of good parenting.

Jill said...

Oh Kristi, I'm so amazed at impressed with your transformation into a great reader--what a gift you've given yourself!

That book is so fantastic, and I love the quotes you listed. I also love the idea of writing the date you finished the book and some thoughts in there as well--that's a great idea.

I sent you that copy of Killer Angels, so go exchange your new copy for something else, why waste the money on a duplicate? How fun to get to choose another great book.

Tasha said...

Kristi,
i love the idea of writing inside of the book! Congrats on reading it! We should do an online book club! Set up a message board of some kind and read the same book. I love Elisa's idea of cleaning while listening to them on tape. I used to do that on my commute to La Place.
You are an official "Bookie"! I love it! I CANNOT sleep if I don't read a little something before I go to bed.
Tasha

Amy said...

OK, don't you just love Atticus Finch? Couldn't you just fall in love with Atticus Finch? Now, if you haven't seen the movie, you must run out and rent it immediately (if it doesn't violate your no TV rule). Or buy it. It's so good--it really ought to be part of everyone's collection.

To Kill a Mockingbird is one of those books that I could read over and over and love it more every time. There are so many nuggets of wisdom, so many great examples of how to love and teach children, and so many examples of how parental influence can be such a powerful thing in shaping a child's mind. I'm so glad that you chose that book to read. It really is timeless, and actually probably gets more timely the more time passes.

I love your new reading tradition. What a great idea! I just might have to do that. How cool will it be someday when your children start reading the books you're buying right now for them to know what you thought of the book?

jenny said...

You go girl! Congrats on the book finish. I know how it feels to finish something a sense of accomplishment and now you want to discuss it! I hear ya... sadly I have not read that novel though.

jenn said...

don't you just feel sick at how much you've missed by not reading! I loved reading as a kid, then had some bad experiences that made me quit! when I was reexposed to it in college I about died at all the things I wished I read!
Better late than never- welcome to the reader's crowd! :)

Anonymous said...

What an accomplishment! I love the quotes that you pulled out and your idea for writing in the front of the book, it will be neat to read your own comments after you re-read the book and see if the same things jump out at you.

Amie said...

I love hearing your thoughts and "seeing" your transformation into a reader. I read this book in 8th grade, I think. I remember liking it but I am sure I didn't appreciate the wisdom.... Your post and all of the comments make me want to dig it out and reread. I also haven't seen the movie